Feb 8, 2014, 2:22 pm
Last edit by: weezl
please be aware the Target breach cards are currently on the black market, as always be aware of activity on all accounts
Purchase in store. Each store seems to have just one lane that has them on display (unlike the AMEX GC which are at most lanes). Package is larger than other gift cards, silver and red.
Not available in all states. Search here for possible locations
Note: Unlike AMEX's restriction on BB/Serve/Redbird where one person can only hold one of those, you can have an AFT (2, actually) while holding a BB, Serve, or Redbird
Need DL to purchase.
Max 1 purchase per ss# per day--this means one person can actually have 2 AFT cards, which is why there is a $5000 total limit for 2 cards (see below).
Max initial load $500 + $3 load fee.
May reload temp card as soon as verification of identity is complete, may take 48 hours. You can use an ATM with a temp card as soon as you're able to view your temp card PIN online. If you're unable to view your PIN online, you won't be able to use an ATM until you have the permanent card, which takes about two weeks.
Many stores now limit reloading to the service desk, and no longer at cashiers. The card must be swiped at a cash terminal to reload, not scanned! Ask cashiers to try if they don't seem to recognize the card. Ask if loading at service desk is a policy, it might just be a knee-jerk response from cashiers that don't know about the card. I have been told that a few times, "You need to go to the Service Desk," it has never been true. Say please and thank you.
Limits & Fees
Loading
Codes as purchase on all cards.
Load fee $3
Max $1000 per card in 24 hour period.
Max $5000 total for both cards per 28 day rolling period.
May load any card *until* balance is $2500 for 28 day period (not *up to*)
System will allow a $1000 load on a card with a $2000 balance so long as you are under $5000 for all cards over 28 day period. See below for optimal load sequence, $15/$5k a month after 1st month and $15k in 65 days for new cards.
Unload via ATM
Max $400/card/day (resets sometime in the wee hours of the morning)
First ATM w/d per month per card is free, based on 1st of the month (not rolling)+ any ATM owner fee.
Additional ATM w/d fee $3 + ATM fee.
When asked 'from account' choose 'checking.'
Possibly helpful link:
Free and Low-Cost ATMs
Unload by purchases
No fee. No cash back.
Additional information
Optimal load pattern for least number of $3 fees after first $500 load is $3k/$2k.
New accounts can load $15k in 65 days. 4 trips in a week for new cards, 3 in a week once a month after that.
Load always means load $1000. 28 day load total in parenthesis. 'Dropped' means that load is past the 28 day mark.
Day 1: Purchase card #1, load $500
Day 3: Purchase card #2, load $500; Load card #1 ($1500)
Day 5: load card #1 ($2500); load card #2 ($1500)
Day 7: load card #2 ($2500)
*********************************wait************
Day 29: ($2000)($2500) day 1 dropped
Day 31: ($1000)($2000) day 3 dropped
Day 32: load card #1 ($2000) ; load card #2 ($3000)
Day 33: ($1000)($2000) day 5 dropped
Day 34: load card #1 ($2000); load card #2 ($3000)
Day 35: ($2000) ($2000) day 7 dropped
Day 36: load card #1 ($3000), ($2000)
*********************************wait************
Day 61: load both cards, day 32 dropped
Day 63: load both cards
Day 65: load one card.
Repeat Loads waiting 29 days between loads, if you loaded both cards 29 days ago load both now, if you loaded one card, load one now. So next load date is 61+29= Day 90
FAQ
Q: Will this show up as a CA?
A: No, Target is not a financial institution.
Q: Even with xxxx cards?
A: Yes, no cards will be charged a CA.
Q: Can I load with Visa/MC/Amex Gift Cards?
A: Yes. Also the balance can be detected and drained if you ask to load more than the value on a prepaid it will just prompt you to give a second payment form. Great for draining random balances.
Q: How about Target gift cards?
A: The register prompts not to allow Target gift cards. They may not be hard coded, though.
Q: Will I get 5% off if I load with a Target Red card?
A: No. Sorry, I wish.
Q: Can I load multiple cards in one transaction?
A: Yes. Up to 3 cards can be loaded in one transaction, but each card will be charged $3.
Q: Why load multiple accounts in one transaction?
A: to avoid multiple $1003 transactions on same CC in minutes. This may trigger a fraud alert.
Q:Is there a max number of payment swipes?
A: Yes. Maximum swipes for split payments is 7, though other users have reported being able to swipe at least 10 gift cards for payment without problems.
Q: Any reason not to load multiple cards in one transaction?
A: Yes, when you have multiple small value gift cards to unload because of 7 swipe limit.
Q: The title says withdrawals are 1.3%, is that true?
A: No. Do the math. I'm not very good at math. Under 1.3% includes Costco ATM fees. It is not possible to edit a thread title, the fees are lower due to the ATM limit now being $400.
Q: What are the lowest possible fees with a fee-free ATM available?
A: For 2 cards, each loaded with $2.5K each over 2 months ($10K in total), you would pay $30 in loading fees (10 load fees of $3 each) and $63 in ATM fees (25 total withdrawals, with 1 free withdrawal per card each month, resulting in 21 ATM fees of $3 each).
Official fund loading from T&C
You may load funds to your Cards using your Funding Source until the Available Funds on any Card purchased by you equals $2,500 and on all card purchased by you equals $5,000... Not more than $1,000 may be loaded to any Card purchased by you in a 24 hour period using your Funding Source, not more than $5,000 may be loaded to all Cards purchased by you in any 28-day period using your Funding Source.
IMPORTANT MESSAGE IF YOU LOADED YOUR PREPAID CARD AT TARGET DURING THE CHRISTMAS SECURITY BREACH: It is important to have AMEX reissue your cards (just phone the number on the card and ask for a new card). Thieves have the numbers and pins and can drain your account at any time. AMEX does not appear to be using software to block suspicious activity, so they can drain it all. If you loaded your prepaid card at Target between November 27 and December 15, 2013, you are at significant risk of having your money stolen (several reported cases in April and May).
Purchase in store. Each store seems to have just one lane that has them on display (unlike the AMEX GC which are at most lanes). Package is larger than other gift cards, silver and red.
Not available in all states. Search here for possible locations
Note: Unlike AMEX's restriction on BB/Serve/Redbird where one person can only hold one of those, you can have an AFT (2, actually) while holding a BB, Serve, or Redbird
Need DL to purchase.
Max 1 purchase per ss# per day--this means one person can actually have 2 AFT cards, which is why there is a $5000 total limit for 2 cards (see below).
Max initial load $500 + $3 load fee.
May reload temp card as soon as verification of identity is complete, may take 48 hours. You can use an ATM with a temp card as soon as you're able to view your temp card PIN online. If you're unable to view your PIN online, you won't be able to use an ATM until you have the permanent card, which takes about two weeks.
Many stores now limit reloading to the service desk, and no longer at cashiers. The card must be swiped at a cash terminal to reload, not scanned! Ask cashiers to try if they don't seem to recognize the card. Ask if loading at service desk is a policy, it might just be a knee-jerk response from cashiers that don't know about the card. I have been told that a few times, "You need to go to the Service Desk," it has never been true. Say please and thank you.
Limits & Fees
Loading
Codes as purchase on all cards.
Load fee $3
Max $1000 per card in 24 hour period.
Max $5000 total for both cards per 28 day rolling period.
May load any card *until* balance is $2500 for 28 day period (not *up to*)
System will allow a $1000 load on a card with a $2000 balance so long as you are under $5000 for all cards over 28 day period. See below for optimal load sequence, $15/$5k a month after 1st month and $15k in 65 days for new cards.
Unload via ATM
Max $400/card/day (resets sometime in the wee hours of the morning)
First ATM w/d per month per card is free, based on 1st of the month (not rolling)+ any ATM owner fee.
Additional ATM w/d fee $3 + ATM fee.
When asked 'from account' choose 'checking.'
Possibly helpful link:
Free and Low-Cost ATMs
Unload by purchases
No fee. No cash back.
Additional information
Optimal load pattern for least number of $3 fees after first $500 load is $3k/$2k.
New accounts can load $15k in 65 days. 4 trips in a week for new cards, 3 in a week once a month after that.
Load always means load $1000. 28 day load total in parenthesis. 'Dropped' means that load is past the 28 day mark.
Day 1: Purchase card #1, load $500
Day 3: Purchase card #2, load $500; Load card #1 ($1500)
Day 5: load card #1 ($2500); load card #2 ($1500)
Day 7: load card #2 ($2500)
*********************************wait************
Day 29: ($2000)($2500) day 1 dropped
Day 31: ($1000)($2000) day 3 dropped
Day 32: load card #1 ($2000) ; load card #2 ($3000)
Day 33: ($1000)($2000) day 5 dropped
Day 34: load card #1 ($2000); load card #2 ($3000)
Day 35: ($2000) ($2000) day 7 dropped
Day 36: load card #1 ($3000), ($2000)
*********************************wait************
Day 61: load both cards, day 32 dropped
Day 63: load both cards
Day 65: load one card.
Repeat Loads waiting 29 days between loads, if you loaded both cards 29 days ago load both now, if you loaded one card, load one now. So next load date is 61+29= Day 90
FAQ
Q: Will this show up as a CA?
A: No, Target is not a financial institution.
Q: Even with xxxx cards?
A: Yes, no cards will be charged a CA.
Q: Can I load with Visa/MC/Amex Gift Cards?
A: Yes. Also the balance can be detected and drained if you ask to load more than the value on a prepaid it will just prompt you to give a second payment form. Great for draining random balances.
Q: How about Target gift cards?
A: The register prompts not to allow Target gift cards. They may not be hard coded, though.
Q: Will I get 5% off if I load with a Target Red card?
A: No. Sorry, I wish.
Q: Can I load multiple cards in one transaction?
A: Yes. Up to 3 cards can be loaded in one transaction, but each card will be charged $3.
Q: Why load multiple accounts in one transaction?
A: to avoid multiple $1003 transactions on same CC in minutes. This may trigger a fraud alert.
Q:Is there a max number of payment swipes?
A: Yes. Maximum swipes for split payments is 7, though other users have reported being able to swipe at least 10 gift cards for payment without problems.
Q: Any reason not to load multiple cards in one transaction?
A: Yes, when you have multiple small value gift cards to unload because of 7 swipe limit.
Q: The title says withdrawals are 1.3%, is that true?
A: No. Do the math. I'm not very good at math. Under 1.3% includes Costco ATM fees. It is not possible to edit a thread title, the fees are lower due to the ATM limit now being $400.
Q: What are the lowest possible fees with a fee-free ATM available?
A: For 2 cards, each loaded with $2.5K each over 2 months ($10K in total), you would pay $30 in loading fees (10 load fees of $3 each) and $63 in ATM fees (25 total withdrawals, with 1 free withdrawal per card each month, resulting in 21 ATM fees of $3 each).
Official fund loading from T&C
You may load funds to your Cards using your Funding Source until the Available Funds on any Card purchased by you equals $2,500 and on all card purchased by you equals $5,000... Not more than $1,000 may be loaded to any Card purchased by you in a 24 hour period using your Funding Source, not more than $5,000 may be loaded to all Cards purchased by you in any 28-day period using your Funding Source.
IMPORTANT MESSAGE IF YOU LOADED YOUR PREPAID CARD AT TARGET DURING THE CHRISTMAS SECURITY BREACH: It is important to have AMEX reissue your cards (just phone the number on the card and ask for a new card). Thieves have the numbers and pins and can drain your account at any time. AMEX does not appear to be using software to block suspicious activity, so they can drain it all. If you loaded your prepaid card at Target between November 27 and December 15, 2013, you are at significant risk of having your money stolen (several reported cases in April and May).
AmEx for Target: $400/week credit card ATM withdrawals for 1.3%+ in certain cities
Jul 30, 2011, 9:12 pm
#16
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
I'm not anywhere near the test market cities... though I wonder how long before Target rolls it out elsewhere.One thing is that the PASS card is only reloadable from an Amex card (or bank account) so it was quite easy for Amex to not award points for it. If the Target card can be used with Visa and MC that may open up possibilities.
If in-store reloads are rung up just like any other purchase, including gift/prepaid cards, it wouldn't show up any different than a normal store purchase, as far as your credit card is concerned.
Online reloads may be more of a problem depending how Amex categorizes it.
Jul 31, 2011, 8:50 pm
#17
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: CHS
Programs: Delta, AA, BA, United, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Honors Diamond, SPG Marriott Gold, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 1,142
Includes Washington DC
"The "American Express for Target" reloadable prepaid card is being tested in Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Denver and Miami."
The Baltimore area seems to include Washington DC , and well into Virginia.
The Baltimore area seems to include Washington DC , and well into Virginia.
Aug 1, 2011, 1:52 pm
#18
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Near ORD
Programs: AA LT Gold, Hyatt Diamond, HH Gold, SPG Gold, PC Plat Ambassador
Posts: 739
Just bought one
So I just got back from Target where I bought one of the new American Express for Target cards. They are selling these at the registers rather than customer service, which I found surprising. Also, when you load up the card (max initial load is $500), they ask for all of your personal info right there at the register. The cashier asked me for my driver's license so he could input my address, and then I was instructed to input my SSN, birthdate and phone # on the keypad. Fortunately the cashier seemed pretty familiar with these cards already, so everything went smoothly.
I tried setting up my account online but it seems as though the functionality is limited for a few days yet. of course I will be unable to get cash at any ATMs without a pin, but it also looks like I am unable to load the card again until they validate all of my information.
So what everyone wants to know - it seems as though this purchase WILL earn miles, as I made sure to buy it along with the rest of my Target purchases, so as not to have a separate transaction. My total purchase was around $562, and I put it on my BA card. I don't see how there's any way they could discern what part of that $562 was for this card as opposed to other items I purchased, so I am pretty confident it will get coded as a mileage-earning purchase.
I tried setting up my account online but it seems as though the functionality is limited for a few days yet. of course I will be unable to get cash at any ATMs without a pin, but it also looks like I am unable to load the card again until they validate all of my information.
So what everyone wants to know - it seems as though this purchase WILL earn miles, as I made sure to buy it along with the rest of my Target purchases, so as not to have a separate transaction. My total purchase was around $562, and I put it on my BA card. I don't see how there's any way they could discern what part of that $562 was for this card as opposed to other items I purchased, so I am pretty confident it will get coded as a mileage-earning purchase.
Last edited by blase; Aug 1, 2011 at 2:00 pm
Aug 1, 2011, 2:54 pm
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 292
Security tip: use an incorrect PIN if you're going to test ATM's to try to find one that is fee free. When I declined an ATM's initial offer to look up my balance, and then just asked to make a withdrawal, many ATM's took me to the screen that asks the additional withdrawal fee apparently before doing anything that would reveal that my PIN was incorrect.
This might not always be so. For example, I used my real PIN at 7-11 and declined the transaction when the machine told me it want to charge me $2.95, and my bank activity now shows a withdrawal followed by a matching deposit.
Sorry if I'm belaboring the obvious just because I didn't think of it until I had given my PIN to a couple of ATM's that I don't normally use.
By the way, my ATM at work is apparently fee free (I actually did a withdrawal). I have not yet tried local ATM's identified by allpointnetwork or moneypass.
This might not always be so. For example, I used my real PIN at 7-11 and declined the transaction when the machine told me it want to charge me $2.95, and my bank activity now shows a withdrawal followed by a matching deposit.
Sorry if I'm belaboring the obvious just because I didn't think of it until I had given my PIN to a couple of ATM's that I don't normally use.
By the way, my ATM at work is apparently fee free (I actually did a withdrawal). I have not yet tried local ATM's identified by allpointnetwork or moneypass.
Aug 1, 2011, 4:10 pm
#20
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Can the tradecraft on the public board! Or would you like my AMEX Financial Review Officer's private number so you can call her and kill the deal quicker?
Some people hate on what we do and they sleep better not knowing about it.
And yes, AMEX can see what you are up to with their cards.
Some people hate on what we do and they sleep better not knowing about it.
And yes, AMEX can see what you are up to with their cards.
Aug 1, 2011, 4:13 pm
#21
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
This tradecraft should be public - doesn't provide the opposition with anything useful to hunt down and close.
Security tip: use an incorrect PIN if you're going to test ATM's to try to find one that is fee free. When I declined an ATM's initial offer to look up my balance, and then just asked to make a withdrawal, many ATM's took me to the screen that asks the additional withdrawal fee apparently before doing anything that would reveal that my PIN was incorrect.
This might not always be so. For example, I used my real PIN at 7-11 and declined the transaction when the machine told me it want to charge me $2.95, and my bank activity now shows a withdrawal followed by a matching deposit.
Sorry if I'm belaboring the obvious just because I didn't think of it until I had given my PIN to a couple of ATM's that I don't normally use.
By the way, my ATM at work is apparently fee free (I actually did a withdrawal). I have not yet tried local ATM's identified by allpointnetwork or moneypass.
This might not always be so. For example, I used my real PIN at 7-11 and declined the transaction when the machine told me it want to charge me $2.95, and my bank activity now shows a withdrawal followed by a matching deposit.
Sorry if I'm belaboring the obvious just because I didn't think of it until I had given my PIN to a couple of ATM's that I don't normally use.
By the way, my ATM at work is apparently fee free (I actually did a withdrawal). I have not yet tried local ATM's identified by allpointnetwork or moneypass.
Aug 1, 2011, 5:29 pm
#22
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,758
Can the tradecraft on the public board! Or would you like my AMEX Financial Review Officer's private number so you can call her and kill the deal quicker?
Some people hate on what we do and they sleep better not knowing about it.
And yes, AMEX can see what you are up to with their cards.
Some people hate on what we do and they sleep better not knowing about it.
And yes, AMEX can see what you are up to with their cards.
Aug 1, 2011, 5:42 pm
#23
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Central Texas
Programs: Starwood Gold , HH Gold, Hyatt Gold, Aadvantage, Rapid Rewards CP
Posts: 1,586
Some Texas Credit Union ATMs
http://freecuatms.org/index.cfm?CUID...?CUID=aplusfcu
Says "totally free". Might be worth a try. One of my banks is listed.
I'll be in Denver next week and will have to do some shopping.
Says "totally free". Might be worth a try. One of my banks is listed.
I'll be in Denver next week and will have to do some shopping.
Aug 3, 2011, 10:23 pm
#24
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Between EWR & ABE
Programs: OnePass, AAdvantage, SkyMiles, PriorityClub, HHonors
Posts: 401
I tried setting up my account online but it seems as though the functionality is limited for a few days yet. of course I will be unable to get cash at any ATMs without a pin, but it also looks like I am unable to load the card again until they validate all of my information.
Aug 5, 2011, 2:51 pm
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,052
received the targeted email as well and just got and activated card today
have yet to digest what to try this with and all that. Not sure if it's yet worth even having
MM
have yet to digest what to try this with and all that. Not sure if it's yet worth even having
MM
Oct 31, 2011, 10:33 pm
#26
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Near ORD
Programs: AA LT Gold, Hyatt Diamond, HH Gold, SPG Gold, PC Plat Ambassador
Posts: 739
Just tried loading this card online and it appears the method of loading it with a credit card is now no longer available. I will try in the store tomorrow to load it with a card and see what happens.
Nov 1, 2011, 9:02 am
#27
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: MDW, ORD
Programs: UA, AA, WN, DL
Posts: 44
Thanks for the update Blase. I'm going to try buying one today at my local Target. There is a fee-free ATM down the street from me.
Nov 1, 2011, 10:38 am
#28
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: New Hampshire
Programs: AA Platinum, Marriott Gold, Everything else: Dirt
Posts: 802
So with a maximum withdrawal of $200/wk, per card, it seems like you could realistically only be netting 400 miles a week (assuming 1 mile/dollar spent) per person. In all, 20,000 miles a year assuming you don't miss a week. Seems like an awful lot of work. However, if you can combine with bigcrumbs, you might actually not have to pay anything for them. Might make it worth it for some people.
Nov 1, 2011, 10:55 am
#29
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: MDW, ORD
Programs: UA, AA, WN, DL
Posts: 44
So with a maximum withdrawal of $200/wk, per card, it seems like you could realistically only be netting 400 miles a week (assuming 1 mile/dollar spent) per person. In all, 20,000 miles a year assuming you don't miss a week. Seems like an awful lot of work. However, if you can combine with bigcrumbs, you might actually not have to pay anything for them. Might make it worth it for some people.
Nov 2, 2011, 1:13 pm
#30
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 190
great for those with an AARP card to exploit!